The Georgetown University women’s soccer team knew it was just a matter of time. Despite being down at the half the Hoyas, after hitting the crossbar three times in the first half, knew something was going to come.  It did, and twice in the span of seven minutes as senior forward Camille Trujillo (Albuquerque, N.M./St. Pius X) scored two goals to lead the Hoyas to a 2-1 win over Cincinnati on a bright and sunny day at North Kehoe Field.

The Hoyas improved to 11-4-0 overall and 5-2-0 in the BIG EAST.  The Blue & Gray have won seven of their last nine games.  Cincinnati falls to 5-6-4 overall and 1-4-2 in league play.

“I wouldn’t say it was a game of two halves,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said.  “Their goal came off the run of play (and we hit the post three times in the first period.  I don’t think it was a miraculous turnaround.  I felt we had more urgency in the second half and we showed composure.

“I think, ultimately, what happens is that big players made big plays.  Camille made two great big plays for us to win the game.  They’re a tough team, they scrap their way in and hang around.  In the second half, I think we did a better job of playing our style, which obviously suits us more.”

Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Hoyas maintained their aggressive pace in the second half, with a foul and a yellow card on the Bearcats resulting in a free kick from about 25 yards out.  Wells took the free kick from the outside left corner of the box and slid her shot around the wall, where Trujillo broke away and flicked the ball past UC goalkeeper Kristina Utley at the far post, tying the game 49 seconds into the second half.

After a shot by Cincinnati’s Jazmine Rhodes was saved by GU senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Hanna (Waxhaw, N.C./Weddington), the Hoyas countered.   Wells sent a long cross from near midfield to Trujillo, who moved the ball up the right side of the field and into the box.  Utley came off her line to block a shot from Trujillo but the ball skipped past her and Trujillo tapped the ball in at 51:59, giving the Hoyas a 2-1 lead.

Georgetown continued to press in the second half, out-shooting the Bearcats 13-4 in the second half.  Shots from senior Samantha Baker (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson) and Wells in the 53rd minute were saved, while a header from senior midfielder Kelly D’Ambrisi (Trumbull, Conn./Lauralton Hall Academy) went just wide in the 58th minute and a shot in the box from sophomore Amanda Soderlund (Boise, Idaho/Timberline) was saved by Utley.

The Bearcats had taken a 1-0 lead late in the first half after a corner kick from Kelli Pawelko was kept alive.  Katie Johnson served a pass to Mackenzie Grause in the box and her shot from six yards out snuck past Hanna for the lead.

“We made some changes and brought Amanda in and she’s a good header of the ball and a strong, tough tackling kid,” Nolan said.  “I sat her with Tina (Christina O’Tousa) in front of our back and I thought Tina and Amanda were key to us to stopping them from what they do well.  Then it was just a matter of time for some of our creative players – either Camille, Ingrid, Kelly or Daphne Corboz – to conjure something up for us.”

Georgetown out-shot Cincinnati, 23-10, and had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.  Hanna made five saves for the Blue & Gray.    Trujillo, who has scored seven goals in the last five games, now has 30 for her career, tying her for the all-time lead in program history with Wells. 

Wells, meanwhile, returned to D.C. on Friday morning after training with the United States National Team all week in Los Angeles, and played the full 90 minutes.  The two assists moved her career total in points to 102.  She is one of only nine active Division I players with at least 100 points.

The Hoyas close out the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 9, hosting Louisville (6-5-3, 4-1-2).  Kickoff at North Kehoe Field is slated for 1 p.m.  Louisville posted a 3-2 win at Villanova on Friday afternoon.

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